Let’s face it: Skullcandy is cool. The stylized skull logo, emblazoned on nearly all of its products, is sharp, and the branding, which seems to involve extreme sports athletes and rock stars, is meant to align its consumers with a badass lifestyle. It’s easy to be skeptical of the actual audio quality behind such successful marketing, but the Skullcandy FIX In-Ear is an example of quality earphones in a price range that often lacks such a thing. The $69.95 (direct) earphones get their name from their secure fit, and they do not disappoint. While the FIX In-Ear is not quite as secure as the Bowers & Wilkins C5 In-Ear Headphones ($179.95, 4.5 stars)—our high-end Editors’ Choice, it definitely fits better than most in-ear pairs, especially in this affordable range. Some distortion issues at high volumes hold the FIX In-Ear back a bit, but for the price, they're worth a listen.

DesignFrom a distance, the FIX In-Ear’s design could seem subtle, but up close, the silver skull logo stands out against the black background of the earpieces—at least it did on our review unit, which was black and silver (the other options are silver or red with silver). It’s hard to explain why the FIX fits so well—a quick glance reveals nothing out of the ordinary in terms of earphone design; the silicon eartips do not look or feel unique, and there’s no obvious piece that secures them in place, like the stabilizing cable loop on the B&W C5. Regardless, they don’t move much, making them ideal for workouts.

The strong bass performance is purportedly aided by a bass port (which helps move air and create stronger low-end response) on the earphones, but it is hidden from view. The FIX In-Ear comes with three sizes of ear tips and a small black protective case which, of course, features the sinister skull logo.

The now-familiar array of iPhone/iPad/iPod touch controls manage to look slightly different on every headphone pair they appear on, but have the same basic size and layout across the board. Two buttons for volume also control track navigation, and a Play/Pause button also answers or ends phone calls. Another trend for these Apple controls is placement near the mouth, in-line on the cable, just inches below the ear, but you can’t see any of the controls when the earphones are in your ears. Sure, eventually you’ll memorize them, but all of the buttons more or less feel alike, and the potential to raise the volume when you intended to lower it, or skip forward when you meant to backward, or—worse—hang up when you meant to adjust the volume—is high. But the Skullcandy FIX In-Ear has company in this offense: Our Editors' Choice, the AKG K 350 ($79.95, 4 stars), among others, also has the controls in the same blind spot. The mic sounds just fine, but call clarity has never been the iPhone's strong suit and no mic can't change that.

PerformanceAudiophiles, this pair isn't for you. If you're on a budget, however, consider the aformentioned AKG K 350, which has a slightly more balanced response. If you aren’t quite an audiophile but love music, particularly tunes with deep bass, the Skullcandy FIX In-Ear won’t likely disappoint. With a fairly strong bass response, it’s less suitable for, say, classical tracks like John Adams’ “The Chairman Dances.” The added low-end can sound great on some percussion hits, but the overall feel of the instrumentation is a tad bass-heavy.

That, however, is just what some listeners are after. On tracks like The Knife’s “Silent Shout,” the FIX displays respectable low-frequency response when the deepest bass kicks in. At maximum volume, which is not recommended for long listening sessions, the bass does distort somewhat. On tracks with less deep bass, distortion is not an issue, and at reasonable volume levels, tracks don't distort at all. The level of low-end the FIX can produce probably has something to do with the secure seal it creates in the ear. Nonetheless, the bass presence is strong without being too overwhelming—except for adding a little too much low-end to orchestral instruments.

For $70, it’s hard to find earphones that stay in place, let alone sound good. That said, the FIX In-Ear is not the only game in town. Aside from the Editors' Choice AKG K 350 earphones, if it's booming bass you're after but you only want to spend roughly half this amount, check out the Radius Atomic Bass ($39.99, 3.5 stars). If you can spend a little bit more money, the Shure’s SE215 ($119, 4 stars), our mid-range Editors’ Choice, is a fine example of affordable earphones with exceptional sonic quality—and as a bonus, the cables can be replaced. No such luxuries exist with the Skullcandy FIX In-Ear, but it costs about $50 less, so the luxury is in the savings. By no means a sonic masterpiece, the FIX In-Ear is nonetheless a standout option in this limited price range. Add in the iPhone controls, and you have a bargain.

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